Sled



June 4, 1940.

J. s. RUFFNl-:R 2,203,060

sLED

Filed Feb. 8, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented `une 4, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcEv SLED y Jay S. Ruiner, Freeport, Ill.` Application February, 1938, Serial No. 189,378 v 15 Claims.

This invention relates to sleds and has special reference to a sled of the type adapted to be propelled by the rider, and to a propelling mechanism which may be attached to existing sleds or incorporated directly into the sled at the time of its manufacture.

While numerous attempts have been made to devise a Sled of the type herein contemplated, none of these have been successful so far as I am aware. I am of the opinion that this must be attributed largely to a failure to recognize certain important facts with respect to the problem. Among the more important of these facts is the varied nature of the surface over which a sled must travel. Sometimes the surface is hard ice, while other times it is relatively soft snow. Sometimes the surface is smooth and other times very rough. The means for engaging the surface and must be capable of estabishing a positive driving contact with each of such Surfaces, and the contact must be positive, that is, there must be no failure of engagement on any stroke of the operating handle. engaging means but a proper distribution of the riders weight with relation to the driving and engaging means. Another factor is the speed which may be acquired during the driving stroke. This speed must be sufficient to maintain momentum while the return stroke is-being made. The means for transmitting the power from the point of application tothe surface engaging means must also be such as to maintain a sustained stroke without excessive frictional loss, and must be such as to permit of coasting during a part of the sled travel without interference from the propelling mechanism. It must also be such that the driving stroke may be started at any point in the travel of the mechanism. l

An object of the invention is the provision of a sled of the type described having generally improved propelling mechanism.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a sled of the typedescribed having improved means for establishing drivingv engagement with the surface of the ground.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a propelled sled wherein a carriage is reciprocated longitudinally of the sled and improved means are provided between the carriage4 and the ground for establishing driving connection with the ground, and wherein improved means are provided for producing relamust take these factors into consideration This requires not only proper (Cl. 28B-12.11)

tive longitudinalmovement between the carriage and the sled.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a propelled sled havingv a system of lazy-tongs, and improved means for actuating 5 the lazy-tongs to drive the sled.

Another object is the provision of a sled wherein the power ratio between the ground-engaging means and the handle may be adjusted so as to vary the power which can be applied through 10 unidistance to drive the sled.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the sled;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the track or race showing the first leg in engagement;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing .the second leg in engagement, and

Fig. 6 is a View taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

While the invention may be embodied in a wide variety of sleds, I have herein shown it as 25 embodied in a sled of the typehaving metal runners adapted to be flexed for the purpose of steering the sled, one lsuch type being marketed under the trade-mark Flexible Flier. The sled has spaced runners 8 and 9 curved up- 30 wardly adjacent their forward ends as 'shown at II, the forward ends of the runners being pivotally connected to a metal cross member I2 by means of rivets I3 and I4. The runners are also connected at rearward points by means of 35 cross pieces I5 and I6, the rcross piece I5 carrying metal brackets I1 and I8 for attachment to the runners, and the cross piece I6 having brackets I9 and 2I likewise attached to the runners, the brackets'serving to space the cross pieces l5 and 40 IB from the runners and support the 'cross pieces substantially in the plane of the cross member I2 when the runners -rest upon the ground. Boards 22 are positioned on the cross pieces I5 and I6 as best shown in Fig. 2, to provide a 45 platform, the central board extending forward as shown at 23 to which straps 24 and 25 are pivotally'attached by a pin 26. A steering lever 21 extends between the straps 24 and 25 and isrigidly secured therein by a bolt 28 and a pin'29. 50 The forward end of the straps 24 and 25 areA pivotally secured to the cross member I2 through a rivet 3I whereby when the rider pushes upon the handle portions 32 and 33 of' the steering lever, the lever is'rotated about the pin 2I causing 55 the forward ends of the runners 8 and 9 to be bent in one direction or another depending upon the direction of rotation of the steering lever.

Attached to the bottom of the sled formed by the elements just described is a propelling mechanism including a pair of vertically spaced U- shaped channel members 34 and 35, the channel member 34 being inverted so that its open edge faces downward and being attached to the lower side of the cross members i5 and I6 by ears 36 on opposite sides thereof. Toward the forward end of the member, the bolt 28 passes through the member and is spaced from the strap 25 by a collar 37. The channel iron member 35 is supported on the member 34 with its open edge upward, by means of bolts 38 and 39 at opposite ends of the members and spacing collars 4| and 42. The channel iron members 34 and 35 form a guideway or race for a carriage, presently to be described.

Interposed between the members of the race is a lazy-tong construction designated generally by the numeral 42, the end links 43 and 44 at one end of the tongs being pivotally supported at their ends on the bolt 39 as shown at 45, the end links 49 and 4l at the opposite end of the lazytong being pivotally connected at their ends to the forward end of carriage members 48 and 49 by means of a pin 5l, the carriage member 48 resting on the top of the end links, and the carriage member 49 resting. against the bottom thereof. The carriage members 48 and 49 are bent intermediate their ends so that the rear ends thereof rest in a vertical plane as shown at 52 and 53 and have lopenings for the reception of trunnions 54 and 55 oi a wheel 55 of such size as to be closely received in the race formed by the U-shaped members 34 and 35. In this particular instance the wheel 55 is a roller skate wheel having an anti-friction bearings such as ball bearings 56a. The wheel is arranged to roll freely in the race in response to actuation of the lazy-tong 42.

For the purpose of actuating the lazy-tong I have provided a frame extending transversely of the sled and around the lazy-tong and the members 34 and 35, as best shown in Fig. 3, the frame having upper and lower sides 51 and 58 and end portions 59 and Eil. Arms 62 and 53, pivotally connected to the upper side 5l of the frame, connect the frame to the lazy-tongs through pivotal connections 54 and 85 at the free ends of the links 43 and 44. The links have additional holes 64a and 55a for selective reception of the connections 6,4 and 55 so as to permit change of the effective length of the links and a consequent change in the leverage. 67 connect the lower side 53 of the frame to the lazy-tongs in the same manner. It will beseen that upon movement of the frame longitudinally of the sled the lazy-tongs will be extended and collapsed. Links 68 and 99 are secured at one of their ends against opposite sides of the end portion 59 ofthe frame by means of a bolt 'Il and extend rearwardly for attachment to a handle. Similar links 'l2 and '13 are secured to the opposite end 5l of the frame by a bolt i4, and likewise extend rearwardly, the links 69 and 'I3 being rigidly inter-connected by a brace member l5 for the purpose of preventing the frame from tilting in response to actuation of the handle.

The handle in this instance consists of a strip of steel bent into the general form of a U and having. side members 16 and 11, and a topi member 78. The side members are pivotally con- Likewise, arms 56 and` ing will be done by the foot nected at their lowerl ends to the runners as shown at 79 and 8|, and the top member has4 half round pieces of wood attached thereto as shown at 82 to be grasped by the rider for the purpose of swinging the handle through an arc about the pivot points 'i9 and 8|,. The side members 'I6 and 'l'l have spaced holes 89 for the reception of pins 84 adapted to passthrough the links 58, 5S, 'l2 and 13 for the purpose of Y shifting the pins leverage between cated with respect tothe sled causing the lazyf tong to be extended and collapsed and thereby moving the carriage longitudinally on its race through driving and return strokes.

Directing attention now more particularly to. Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, means are'therein shown for establishing driving connection between the sled and the ground, that is, the surface over which the sled is to travel which may be snow, ice or the like. This consists of laterally spaced legs 8S and 8l journaled on the trunnons 54 and f5 for free rotation thereon, and in this instance are formed of a single piece of metal and connected at their free ends as shown at 88 to provide an angularly disposed surface against which is secured a foot 89 having sharpened edges 9| terminating in aA centrally disposed point 92 adapted to engage the ground or other surface 99. If desired, the opposite edges 94 of the foot may be likewise sharpened so that the foot may be rotatedV through 180 and the new sharp edges presented to the surface when the edges 92 become dulled. This foot is preferably made lof hardened material such as a hardened or alof bolts 91 and 98 and side brackets 99 and IDI. The free ends of the legs 55 and Stare l bent outwardly at an angle to provide feet |82 and |83, each of the feet being sharpened along the edges |84 to provide a sharp vsurface engaging point |85. The legs 95 and 96 are somewhat longer than the legs S5 and 8l, as will appear from Figs. 4 and 5, and disposed that a line joining the point 92 and the axis of rotation, that is, the center of thetrunnions 94 and 95, will .lie at an angle of about 30 with respect to a line connecting the points with the axis of rotation. Under these circumstances it will be seen that when the surface over which the sled in traveling is hard, such as a surface of ice or hard snow, the legs 95 and 95 will not engage the surface and the engagv 89 in the manner shown in Fig. 4. On the other hand, when the surface is relatively soft the foot 89 will tend to be forced into the surface allowing the legs to rotate into a position such as shown in Fig.- 5 wherein the legs 95 and lhave passed beyond the vertical linelthroughf-the axis. Prior to this in this instance are so f the first mentioned leg,

tablish driving connection therewith in response f to movement of the carriage rearwardly in a driving stroke, and` means for engaging the ground in response to movement of said leg through a vertical position.

3. The combination in a sled having runners,

vof a guideway extending longitudinally of the sled, a carriage member manually reciprocable on said guideway in a driving and a return stroke, a leg depending from said carriage for free rotation to drag upon the ground on the return stroke of the carriage and to engage the ground to establish driving connection therewith in response to movement of the carriage rearwardly in a driving stroke, and a second leg movable with shaped and supported to enga-ge the ground later than the first but prior to the time at which the first passes through a vertical position during the driving stroke.

4. The combination in a sled having runners, of a guideway extending longitudinally of the sled, a roller movable longitudinally on said guideway in a driving and a return stroke, a pair of legs carried on said roller for free rotation with respect thereto, one of said legs being of such length as to be supported in spaced relation to the ground when the other of said legs engages the ground in the horizontal plane of the sled runners and to-come into engagement with the ground at about the time when the first mentioned leg passes through a vertical position.

5. The combination in a sled having a top and runners, of a guideway extending longitudinally of the sled beneath the top and between said runners, a roller in said guideway adapted to move therein, said roller having laterally extending trunnions, means operative on said trunnions for moving the roller on said guideway in a driving and a return stroke, and means carried on said trunnions at successively increasing disl tances therefrom adapted to successively engage the ground at successively lower planes in response to movement of. the roller in a driving stroke.

6. The combination in of a guideway extending sled, a carriage member recprocable on said guideway in a driving and a return stroke, legs depending from said carriage for free rotation on a horizontal axis, one of said legs being of such length as to engage the ground in the horizontal plane of the sled runners when the leg rests at an angle between about 20 and 30 with respect to the vertical, said legs being rigidly connected together, and the other leg being of a length to engage the ground later than the rst but prior to the point at which the rst passes through vertical position.

7. The combination in a sled having a top for supporting a rider in a seated position, of a handle on the forwardportion of the sled adapted for reciprocato-n by the rider with a forward and a rearward tilting movement of the body, a track beneath the top extending longitudinally of the sled, a carriage on said track a sled having runners, longitudinally of the va rearward tilting movement of reciprocable thereon from a point forward of the verticalv center -of weight to a point rearwardly of said center in response to reciprocation of said handle, and means carried by said carriage for engaging the ground in response to movement of the carriage rearwardly onv the track and to release and drag freely over the ground in response to return movement of said Carriage.

8. The combination in a sled having a top for supporting a rider in a seated position, of a handie on the forward portion of the sled adapted for reciprocation by the rider with a forward and a rearward tilting movement of the body, a guideway beneath the top vextending longitudinally of the sled, a `carriage on said guidewavy reciprocable thereon from a point forward of the vertical center of weight to a point rearwardly of said center in response to reciprocation of said handle, means carried by said carriage for engaging the ground in'response to movement ofA 9. The combination in a sled having a top for.

supporting a rider in a seated position, of a handie on the forward portion of the-sled adapted ferreciprocation by the rider with a forward and the body, a guideway beneath the top extending longitudinally of the sled, a carriage on said gui-deway reciprocabie thereon from apoint vforward of the ertical center of `weight to a point rearwardly of said center in response to reciproeation of said handle, means carried by said carriage for engaging the ground in response to movement of the carriage rearwardly on the guideway and to release and move over the ground in response to return movement of said carriage, and lazytongs interposed between the handle and the carriage to transmit amplified movement to the' carriage.

l0. The combination in a sled having a top and runners, of a guideway comprising spaced U-shaped channels extending longitudinally of the sled below the top and between the runners, a wheel positioned between said channels and within the grooves thereof for movement longitudinally therein, said wheelrhaving a laterally disposed shaft, manually operable means acting on said shaft for reciprocating said wheel, and ground-engaging means freely'rotatable on said shaft.

l1. The combination in a sled having a top and runners, of a guideway comprising spaced U-shaped channels extending longitudinally of the sled below the topi and between the runners, a wheel positioned within the grooves thereof for movement longitudinally therein, said wheel having a laterally disposed shaft, anti-friction bearings operative between the shaft and said roller, manually opf erable means acting on said shaft for reciprocatbetween said channels and ing said wheel, and means carried on said shaft f for successively engaging the ground at different depths in response to in one direction. Y

12. The combination in a sled having a top and runners, of a guideway extending longitudinally of the sled beneath the top and between said runners, a roller in said guideway adapted to movement of said wheel r move therein, said roller having laterally extendi ing trunnions, means operative on said trunnions stroke, said means comprising an element hav-l ing feet spaced circumferentially and radially from said trunnions adapted to successively engage the ground at more remote points from said trunnion as sai-d element rotates in response to longitudinal movement of said wheel.

v13. The combination in a sled having a top and runners, of a guideway extending longitudinally ofthe sled beneath the top and between said runners, a roller in said guideway adapted to move therein, said roller having lat erally extending trunnions, means operative on said trunnions for moving the roller on said guideway in a driving and a return stroke, means carried on said trunnions at successively increasing distances therefrom adapted to successively engage the ground at successively lower planes in response to movement of the roller in a driving stroke, and means for moving said wheel in response lto reciprocation of said handle comprising horizontally disposed lazy-tongs connected at one end to said trunnions and secured against longitudinal movement at its opposite ends, and means for extending and `retracting said lazy-tongs in response to reciprocation of the handle.

14. The combination ina sled having a top and runners, of a guideway extending longitudinally of the sled beneath the top and between said runners, a roller in said guideway adapted to move therein, said roller having laterally extending trunnions, means operative on said trunnions for moving the roller on said guideway in a driving and a return stroke, means carried on said trunnions at successively increasing distances therefrom adapted to successively engage the ground at successively lower planes in response to movement of the roller in a driving stroke, and means for moving said Wheel in response to reciprocation of sai-d handle comprising horizontally disposed lazy-tongs, a frame eX- tending around saidlazy-tongs adjacent the forward end of the sled, rods extending from the top and bottom of said frame to the outer extremities of two links of said lazytongs, and

means extending between the sidesof said frame and said handle for reciprocating said frame.

l5. Thecombination in a sled having a top and runners, of a' guideway extending longitudinally of the sled beneath the top and between said runners, a roller in said guideway adapted to move therein, said roller having laterally extending trunnions, means operative on said trunnions for moving the roller on said guideway in a driving and a return stroke, means carried on said trunnions at successively increasing distances therefrom adapted to successively engage the ground at successively lower planes in response to movement of the roller in a driving stroke, means for moving said Wheel in response to reciprocation of sai-d handlecomprising horizontally disposed lazy-tongs, a frame extending around said lazy-tongs adjacent the forward end of the sled, rods extending from the top and bottom of said frame to the outer extremities of two links of said lazy-tongs, means extending betweenthe sides of said frame and said handle for reciprocating said frame, and means for changing the position of said last mentioned-means to change the travel of said g wheel at each stroke of the handle.

' JAY Si. RUFFNER. 

